Top Artists – Prince

Prince – Controversy

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  • This copy of Prince’s fourth studio album boasts outstanding Shootout Winning Triple Plus (A+++) sound on both sides
  • Prince’s albums will never be demo discs, but the best pressings give you the sound that he was going for in the studio, and you can’t ask for more than that
  • These vintage Prince albums are getting hard to find nowadays – prices have doubled and tripled in the last year or two
  • “Controversy emerged in 1981 at a pivotal time not just for Prince, but for America. It’s often regarded as a bridge between Dirty Mind and 1999, but it’s fascinating record in its own right.” – Pitchfork (9.0)

The best copies sound pretty much the way the best copies of most Classic Rock records sound: tonally correct, rich, clear, sweet, smooth, open, present, lively, big, spacious, with breathy vocals and little spit, grit, grain or grunge. That’s the sound of analog, and the best copies of Controversy have that sound. (more…)

Prince – Purple Rain

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  • With a nearly Triple Plus (A++ to A+++) side one and a seriously good Double Plus (A++) side two, this copy will be very hard to beat – exceptionally quiet vinyl too
  • Prince’s legendary 1984 release here was big and rich, with rock solid energy to beat any pressing you have ever heard
  • Clean and clear and open are nice qualities to have, but rich and smooth are harder to come by on this record – and here they are!
  • 5 stars: “Purple Rain finds Prince consolidating his funk and R&B roots while moving boldly into pop, rock, and heavy metal with nine superbly crafted songs… a stunning statement of purpose that remains one of the most exciting rock & roll albums ever recorded.

The first ten or fifteen seconds of the edge on side one is a bit tickier than the grade.

The best copies, like this one, sound pretty much the way the best copies of most Classic Rock records sound: tonally correct, rich, clear, sweet, smooth, open, present, lively, big, spacious, Tubey Magical, with breathy vocals and little to no spit, grit, grain or grunge.

That’s the sound of analog, and the best copies of The Purple Rain have that sound. (more…)

Prince – For You

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For You

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  • A KILLER sounding copy with Shootout Winning Triple Plus (A+++) sound from start to finish and the first to ever hit the site!
  • Both sides here are out of this world — incredibly full-bodied, musical and Tubey Magical with a massive bottom end 
  • “On his debut album, For You, Prince shows exceptional skill for arranging and performing mainstream urban R&B and funk…” – All Music

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Prince And The Revolution – Parade

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Parade

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  • This stunning copy offers insanely good Shootout Winning Triple Plus (A+++) sound or close to it from start to finish 
  • Both of these sides are rich, full-bodied, Tubey Magical and wonderfully present with tons of bottom end weight
  • Exceptionally quiet vinyl throughout — Mint Minus to Mint Minus Minus
  • “Prince & the Revolution shift musical moods and textures from song to song… All of the group’s musical adventures, even the cabaret-pop of “Venus de Milo” and “Do U Lie?” do nothing to undercut the melodicism of the record, and the amount of ground they cover in 12 songs is truly remarkable…” – All Music

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Prince – 1999

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1999

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  • A stunning sounding copy with Double Plus (A++) sound on the first three sides and Triple Plus (A+++) sound on the fourth – exceptionally quiet vinyl too
  • This one is knocks it out of the park – it’s lively and rich, with plenty of deep punchy bass, a nicely extended top and a huge three-dimensional soundfield
  • Packed with hits – Little Red Corvette, Delirious, 1999 – and they’re rockin’ like crazy here, the energy is off the scale
  • 5 stars: “Where his earlier albums had been a fusion of organic and electronic sounds, 1999 was constructed almost entirely on synthesizers by Prince himself… the result is a stunning display of raw talent…”

In our shootout for 1999, the best sides had sound that jumped out of the speakers, propelled by driving rhythmic energy. They brought this complex music to life and allowed us to make sense of it. This is yet another definition of a Hot Stamper — it’s the copy that lets the music work as music.  (more…)

Prince – Around The World In A Day

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Around The World In A Day

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  • An outstanding copy of the album, with both sides rating a solid Double Plus (A++) for sound – exceptionally quiet vinyl too 
  • Clean and clear and open are nice qualities, but rich and full are harder to come by on this record – but here they are!
  • “It wasn’t remotely a sequel to Purple Rain. On first listen, it was instantly clear that the album was a dramatic left-turn, with none of the flashy guitar and few of the pop hooks. The sound was bright and sweet, as opposed to low-end raunch. If Prince had streamlined and rocked up his approach for global domination, now he was creating something more intimate, cerebral, and challenging… a brave and deeply personal project, exploring sounds and ideas that were almost shocking coming from a pop icon at his peak.”

The best copies sound pretty much the way the best copies of most Classic Rock records sound: tonally correct, rich, clear, sweet, smooth, open, present, lively, big, spacious, Tubey Magical, with breathy vocals and little to no spit, grit, grain or grunge. (more…)

Prince – Purple Rain

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More Purple Rain

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  • With a Triple Plus (A+++) shootout winning side two and a better than Double Plus (A++ to A+++) side one, this copy is practically as good as it gets
  • This copy was just BIGGER and RICHER than any other we played, with rock solid energy to beat them all
  • Clean and clear and open are nice qualities to have, but rich and full are harder to come by on this record – but here they are!
  • 5 Stars and “… a stunning statement of purpose that remains one of the most exciting rock & roll albums ever recorded.” – All Music

The shootout winner for this album earned top grades and showed us a Purple Rain we had never heard before.

The best copies sound pretty much the way the best copies of most Classic Rock records sound: tonally correct, rich, clear, sweet, smooth, open, present, lively, big, spacious, Tubey Magical, with breathy vocals and little spit, grit, grain or grunge.

That’s the sound of analog, and the best copies of Purple Rain have that sound. (more…)